Cotherstone Quaker Meeting House

In tune with this year’s Heritage Open Days theme of routes, networks and connections, we celebrate in 2024 the 400th birthday of George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends, who travelled on foot throughout England after the Civil Wars. Fox taught that the way to peace and truth is within, not in the rituals of established religion, encouraging his followers to “walk cheerfully over the world” and to cherish equality and simplicity. At Cotherstone, he inspired the farmer John Bowron to take these ideas to the Caribbean and South America, marking the start of a world-wide Quaker movement. After two centuries of persecution, this meeting house was built on the Bowron family’s land in 1797, its burial ground providing a nature-rich resting place outside the parish boundary. Cotherstone still welcomes Friends to Meetings for Worship on Sundays from 10.30 to 11.30 a.m. All are equally welcome on our Open Days for stories, displays, calm reflection, picnics and country walks.

Timings & Tours

Saturday 07 September:

1000 - 1600

Saturday 14 September:

1000 - 1600

Location & directions

Demesne Lane, Cotherstone, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 9PG

Directions:

The Quaker Meeting House is on the eastern edge of the village of Cotherstone, which is 5 miles NW of Barnard Castle on the B6277, following the River Tees upstream. Postcode DL12 9PG. Grid reference 016195. Cotherstone is on Weardale Travel’s 95/96 bus route between Barnard Castle and Middleton-in-Teesdale. On Saturdays, buses leave Barnard Castle from Lower Galgate (Stand B) at 10 minutes to the hour, and leave Cotherstone for Barnard Castle at 37 minutes past the hour. Alight at the East Green, or park there, and follow the brown heritage signs to a footpath on the NE corner of the green and across a field to the meeting house.

Contact on day:

Diana Collecott

Telephone number:

+447834787077

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

Accessibility details

Pushchair/pram friendly (if left outside). Onsite parking for two blue badge cars involves opening and closing two field gates & crossing a meadow. Dogs welcome (if tied up outside)

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